Welcome to the Hellmouth: Now Go Home!
by Appomattoxco
Summary: The sequel to my earlier fics “Capture” & “Caught” Post “Chosen” Sunnydale’s Hellmouth is closed and now Faith and Wes are sent to Nowhere North Carolina to guard the Hellmouth there. WIP.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Welcome to the Hellmouth Now Go Home!

Author: Appomattoxco

Summary: This is a sequel to Capture. You don't really need to read it to understand this. Post chosen Wes left LA with Faith when she went to Sunnydale. It's my happy little world where no one I like has died. But this won't be all hugs puppies!

Disclaimer: This is done for fun and I'm not making money off what is not mine.

Rating: I'm going to call this "Adult" Faith has a mouth on her and I don't know what they'll get up to later.

Faith took the last stick of gum and threw the empty pack away. It was a good thing that the trip was almost over and her ears had finally stopped popping. Wes had gone quiet so she watched the scenery pass by. It was like an Easter basket or something. The trees had bright new leaves and a lot of them had pink and white blossoms. There were dogwood, azaleas, and who knows what kind of flowers growing along the road. She'd read some stuff on gardening in prison but she wasn't the flowery type. The idea of being in the sun with her hands in the dirt might appeal to her, but not for the sake of putting something pretty in a vase to die.

She really wished Wes had timed it so that they'd hit town at night. The prettiness was making her itch; especially because she knew it was a sham. Beneath it all was a gate to hell. That and all the traveling had her feeling tense and confined; it would be good to get out and stretch her legs. Slay something.

Wes had spent a lot of the trip trying to convince her, and himself, that being sent to Nowhere, North Carolina was not a punishment for their sins. The truth was that Faith didn't give a shit where she lived. Rio might've been fun, especially with Wes for company, but Buffy and Spike could keep Rome; she figured anyplace that close to the Pope couldn't be much fun. All she really needed was a job to do, and according to the coven Nowhere had the friskiest Hellmouth going. She'd be fine, Wes would be the first one climbing the walls. Under all the sexy new scruffy he was civilized; the lack of anything but country on the radio was bound to make him crazy.

"I think we're almost there, but it might be a good idea to stop and get some gas," Wes said. The gas station he pulled into was called Pete's and it did triple duty as a gas station, convenience store and produce stand.

"They've got green stuff here I never even heard of. What's a ramp?" Faith picked up a bundle and wrinkled her nose, "I mean, besides stinky and green."

Without even looking up from the piece of wood he was whittling, the old guy that who was working there explained, "Tastes like a cross between onion and garlic. A touch strong for some, but a girl like you ought to like it."

"I don't know. Do you think it'll keep away the vamps, Wes?" Faith joked.

"It's the garlic flowers that are supposed to repel the demons. Makes a bit of sense, a bulb of garlic doesn't see the sun until it's dug up, but a flower belongs in the light." Then the old man looked up so that Faith could see his cataract covered eyes shaded by the John Deere cap he wore. "Course I'd rather trust a nice, sharp piece of wood. Listen here, some things that come out at night you can scare away, others you need to kill. If you're not prepared to do that it's best you stay home nights."

Most people would have been creeped out by this, but Faith was only surprised. She and Wes had agreed to keep a low profile so Faith kept it casual, "Yeah well, the streets probably roll up at nine around here anyway."

He gave one rusty laugh and said, "You might be surprised, missy."

"What we really need, sir," Wes asked. "Are directions to Stairway Road. We're renting the McCray place for a few months." This effectively changed the subject as it took the old man fifteen minutes to give directions for an eight-mile trip.

After they got back into the car Faith said, "That was different, sort of like that bumper sticker- welcome to the Hellmouth, now go home!"

"Yes, and I wonder if all the locals are this aware of the Hellmouth or if it's just him."

"He didn't feel like a demon. Maybe he just likes to scare the tourists?" Faith asked doubtfully.

"Faith, he was carving a stake."

"Oh," Faith laughed and Wes joined her. It really wasn't that funny, but she laughed hard enough to be gasping for air. When Faith could breath again, and it looked like Wes had wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes Faith asked, "Was that first turn at the old oak or the barn?"

Wes said, "I have no idea."

"You didn't need his directions, did you?"

"Of course not." Wes sounded a little insulted at the idea. As if she should've trusted that he would plan ahead.

"What're you waiting for then? Take us home, babe."

"Babe?" Wes asked with a smirk. "I thought you told Buffy we had a working relationship?"

"Well yeah, it works don't it?" The night before Sunnydale became a sinkhole Wes had collected that backrub she owed him. She ended up rubbing a whole lot more. She should've wanted to run, and maybe if he'd said he loved her loved her she would've. He was the first man Faith had ever fucked that she knew deep down wouldn't fuck her over. The betrayal had already played out on both sides. The trust might not make sense to anyone else but it was solid. And honestly, they did work great together.

"I think it works very well indeed."

Someday, Faith promised herself, she would have him read the phonebook in bed to see if it would get her hot. When they passed a trailer with two dishes in the front yard she decided it would be a good idea to change the subject, "So, Watcher-babe, does this rental have satellite?"

"I think the realtor said it did. I hope I wasn't misled. I'm not very demanding about where I stay but I wanted it to have space for us to train, and a place to research. "

Thirty miles back they'd had lunch in a mid-sized town outside a ski resort. Wes had said there was a college there too. So the Hellmouth had a steady diet of students and tourists. But around Nowhere itself most of the homes not on wheels looked like they'd been there since the first settler decided his mule couldn't make it up any higher.

At the top of Stairway Road was a log home. Calling it a cabin would have been a lie, it was more like a mansion made of life-sized Lincoln Logs. "Wes, you blackmailed Giles? I'm impressed!"

"What?"

"How did you get him to spring for this place then?"

"I convinced him the extra room and the indoor pool was necessary for the job," Wes said, avoiding her eyes. Faith figured that meant he was paying for it and didn't want to admit it. "This promises to be a very active Hellmouth. It will be beneficial after patrol."

"Is there anything saying we have to wait until after patrol?"

"Nothing in writing, no."

"And it's clean and ready to use?"

"It should be."

Faith unbuttoned her top as soon as she was in the door. "I'd say the last one in is a rotten egg. But I don't know where I'm going, and you probably have the blueprints memorized."

"I'll give you a head start."


	2. Chapter 2 The Haint

Faith let Wes take the lead while she stripped. A last burst of speed once she knew where the pool was should do the trick. Wes was always bitching at her to think things through. She usually left the thinking to her Watcher, but that didn't mean she couldn't do it if she needed to.

Faith undid the last button on her shirt and watched Wes as he made a left turn. She made an embarrassing little eep sound. The boy must've come out of the door to the right but he seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere. His overalls were torn and his knees were bloody. The only clean part of him was the pale streaks the tears had left on his cheeks. Faith didn't know whether to be thankful or not that the kid had stopped crying to stare at her.

"I see your bellybutton," he said, as if this were the naughtiest thing ever. For a moment, she wondered if she should hide her bellybutton. Faith had only so many options for cover having dropped her shirt and didn't want to turn around and bend over. It wasn't that she was shy but this was a little kid! "Are you running away from your bath time? I thought you were brave."

Faith didn't know what to ask first._ Are you hurt?_ might make him start bawling again and _What are you doing here?_ could scare him. "Where's your mom?"

"Mama's home. The haints and ghoulies have Katie, you gotta help her."

"First the old guy with the stakes and now you. Does everybody in this town know I'm the Slayer? Look, why don't you close your eyes so I can get my clothes back on? Then we'll see about Katie."

The boy very seriously said, "If I close my eyes I'll go away and you won't see me."

"Just do it kid, and no peeking, I'm getting cold," The boy's eyes filled with tears and when they closed he disappeared.

"Shit!" _ The kid was telling the truth. What the hell was going on?_ _It didn't look like this Hellmouth was going to let them have any playtime. _Faith ran left to get Wes and then doubled back to grab her clothes and dress on the way. Pulling up the zipper on her jeans and struggling back into her shirt, as if she's been caught in the wrong bed. She found Wes just as she did the last button. He was it the pool with his hair was slicked back and all he wore was a wide, shit-eating grin. "I hate like hell to say this, but dry off and get dressed. We have company."

"Shit!" _ The kid was telling the truth. What the hell was going on? _Faith ran left to get Wes and then doubled back to grab her clothes and dress on the way.This is confusing; not clear that she gets the clothes before seeing Wesley It didn't look like this Hellmouth was going to let them have any playtime.

She found Wes in the pool. His hair was slicked back and all he wore was a wide, shit-eating grin. "I hate like hell to say this, but dry off and get dressed. We have company."

"Neighbors at the door?"

"Yeah, it's the special Hellmouth welcome-wagon." She fumbled with her last buttons while explaining. "Red hair, freckles, straw hat, looked like Huck Finn, only younger. He's too old for diapers, too young for school. So maybe three or four years old? He vanishes when he closes his eyes. I'm thinking ghost but you're the research guy."

"A child that age might think if he can't see you that the reverse is true and the reality of spirit is often shaped by its perception. Did he attack or threaten you in any way?"

"Weren't you listening? I said he was a little kid."

"That doesn't preclude a violent nature." He had that guarded look in his eyes again. Wes had loosened up enough to walk through a house naked, but there were still things they hid from each other. That was fine with her; Faith had her own scars.

"The kid only stopped crying for his friend long enough to laugh at my naked bellybutton. I doubt he's a big bad. Bellybuttons must be a lot smuttier than I thought or something." This seemed to get rid of his dark mood and Wes got out of the pool with a filthy grin on his face once more. Before he could say what was on his mind she took the towel from the table next to her and threw it his way. "Dry off and cover you're your a- butt. We got company, remember?"

"Hello, Buffy, I'd like Faith back now, I've become fond of her."

"Very funny, now how do we help this Katie? Ghoulies and whatever haints are, are in my job description right?" Faith asked.

Wes tucked his shirt into his jeans and said, "We aren't going to be able to do much until we have more information."

"The kid's gone. How're we going to get the 411 hold a séance?"

"Ordinarily I'd say yes, but it's a risky thing to do on a Hellmouth like this. If he wants our help, then the only thing we can really do is wait for him to show up again."

"Well, I hope he pops up before bedtime," Faith complained. "I didn't pack PJs and I'm not giving him another eyeful."

They wound up going from room to room calling for the kid. It was a beautiful place but too freaking big, in her opinion. When Faith looked in the kitchen pantry she found it was fully stocked and her stomach growled loud enough for Wes to hear. "It's a good thing the grocery fairy came. I say we postpone looking for Casper and scare up some food," she said. "I'm starved."

Wes got lunchmeat from the fridge, "I asked the housekeeper to stock up for us," he explained.

Faith eyed the Dukes mayonnaise and sniffed it with suspicion before spreading it on her bread. "This place is weirder than your average Hellmouth."

"Because of the salad dressing?"

"No, because we've got a friendly ghost and a housekeeper I don't have to tip. Me living in a place like this is surreal. I don't see why a trailer wasn't good enough for you."

"I would've made do but I wanted better for you." He said it very casually, but their there was a intense look in his eyes that made Faith squirm.

"You know I'm kind of worried about Katie; what if she's the same age as Casper? He's just a baby."

"I'm not a baby! I'm a big boy!" The ghost popped into being right in front of them looking as solid as they both did, and very mad. " I'm 4 'n a haff , and I'm not Casper, I'm Gordon. I'm Gordon Jamison." He added the last name as if it was definite proof that what he said was true.

"I didn't realize you were 4 and a half - that is big. You scared us popping in that way. Did you see Wes jump? He hasn't done that in a while." Wes took Faith's hand and gave it a little squeeze. She could tell he was impressed with the way she handled the kid.

"It was funny," Gordon said.

"Gordon, does your friend Katie still need help?" Faith asked.

"Golly, yes, I was just there with her. There's other girls too and they're hurted and tied up. I can show you, come on!" Gordon said, obviously upset he had been distracted from his mission.

Wes got weapons from the car and they followed Gordon outside. He led them to some caves right beside a large tree marked with yellow paint. "They're in there," Gordon said, pointing.

Wes said, "Talk about nerve, that's our property line!"

"The Council isn't renting the place for us is it?" Faith accused. "Buying property on a Hellmouth is a stupid ass thing to do. You're lucky we have just haints and ghoulies to spelunk for."

"It's not a good idea to just go in there blindly. We don't have any idea what we are really facing." Wes said, ignoring the issue of the house for the more important problem. He'd asked Gordon how many monsters there were on the way over and the ghost's answer had been very vague.

"You'd rather we keep the all you can eat kiddy buffet open for business in our back yard?" Faith asked. "And if somebody in there is hurt we can't afford to wait and see."

"I didn't say we shouldn't do it. I just said it wouldn't be wise to."

"You can always wait out here with Gordon."

"I'll be right behind you," Wes said.

"I never had a doubt, Scruffy."

It turned out to be a cakewalk. Three redneck vamps and a slimy something or other in a cave well lit by battery powered lanterns. The fight didn't take very long. Wes took care of the demon with his axe and Faith dusted all three vampires without breaking a sweat.

The only surprise was the age of the captives; all three were in their late 20s. They were too late for one girl and had to stake her before she rose. One was an unconscious blonde, and the last girl's name was Rose. Rose was a little battered and had twisted her ankle trying to escape her captors, but she was otherwise okay. Because he was taller and it would be less awkward, Wes carried the blonde. Faith hoped they hadn't failed to help Gordon.

When he saw the blonde in Wes' arms Gordon smiled widely and said to Faith, "Ma'am, I gots to go; Mama's calling."

"Okay, Gordon," Faith said to the little ghost.

"Promise when she wakes up tell Katie I miss playing with her 'k?"

Kate looked at Faith like she was nuts when Faith relayed the message. The only Gordon that Kate had remembered playing with had been her for imaginary friend a few years. She hadn't "seen" him since she was seven. The young women were already explaining away the vamps as disfigured rednecks. She thought it was sad that they had taken her to the cave she and her older sisters used to play in. Well to be honest she'd played with Gordon, while her teenaged sisters smoked and talked about boys.

Wes' research revealed that in 1930 Gordon Jamison had been found dead in that cave. Faith looked for him his body?the little ghost but never saw him again. Saving Katie must've been what allowed him to go home to his mother at last.


End file.
